Quick connectors are used in a wide range of applications, and are frequently employed for joining fluid conduits in automotive and industrial applications. Typically, quick connectors are capable of being assembled in a single longitudinal movement to allow automated assembly and to increase production efficiency. To be accepted in the automotive industry, quick connect fittings need to provide an effective seal for handling volatile or hazardous fluids, such as gasoline, while permitting repair of the finished product by allowing repeated disassembly and reassembly of the quick connect fitting without adverse consequences to the effective seal of the fitting. When carrying hazardous material through the quick connect fitting, a primary concern is the prevention of unintentional release of the quick connect fitting. Industry standards require a relatively high axial pull off strength once the male fitting is fully seated within the female aperture to prevent the male and female portions of the quick connect fitting from pulling apart from one another. In contrast, low insertion force of the male portion into the female aperture of the quick connect fitting is desirable.
It is common in many high pressure fluid applications, such as brake lines, to use threaded fitting connections. Cross-threading of the fittings may occur if not aligned correctly, or over-threading may occur if excess torque is applied to the fittings. Sufficient damage may occur to the threads of the fittings to result in the parts being scrapped and replaced. The brake lines of an anti-lock brake control system are typically connected to a brake manifold or junction during the assembly process of the vehicle. This configuration may require threaded connections to be located in close proximity to one another, which can increase the difficulty and time required to correctly assembly the threaded fittings to a manifold.
In addition, a lack of consistency in the profile of the snap ring groove has been noted in production parts, possibly due to manufacturing tool wear during the production runs. If the profile of the snap ring groove is sufficiently out of design tolerance, the snap ring may be unable to fully seat within the snap ring groove. Furthermore, manufacturing tolerances for the quick connect fittings allow a chamber defined between the assembled male and female portions of the fitting to expand and retract during cyclical operation of a high pressure fluid application, such as an automotive brake system, which cycles between applying a high fluid pressure through the fluid conduit system and releasing the pressure, or producing slight vacuum, within the fluid conduit system.